Next Generation Learning Challenges

How Computational Thinking Develops AI Literacy & Data Science Skills Computational thinking involves concepts like abstraction, decomposition, and algorithms, creating a foundation for AI literacy and data science skills.

🌟 Dive into computational thinking with NGLC, EDU Café Podcast, and Digital Promise! See these steps & resources to make CT concepts accessible for students. You don’t need a CS background—just the right tools and time!
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/computational-thinking-ai-literacy

Untapping Hidden Potential: Strategies for Empowering Long-Term… Explore strategies to better serve Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) who have strong social English but often have gaps in advanced academic language.

Individualized instruction and attention from a mindful and caring teacher can greatly increase student success for Long-Term English Learners. Learn more about their unique strengths and need for support!
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/empowering-long-term-english-learners

The Art of Cultivating Inclusive Learning Environments Educators can tap into community partners' expertise & resources to support students with disabilities, learning differences & mental health challenges.

Explore how to tap into the expertise, resources, and advocacy of community partners to support students with disabilities, learning differences, mental health challenges, and more.
Boston Public Schools
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/cultivating-inclusive-learning-environments

Communal Learning Spaces Gather a Community and Promote Collaboration Communal spaces help schools create a collaborative learning community with interconnected spatial options, flexible furniture and technology for learning.

A collaborative learning community that is warm and welcoming with transparency into and between learning spaces helps each student find their place. See why it shows that students MATTER!
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/communal-learning-spaces-gather-a-community-and-promote-collaboration

Designing Instruction around Real-Time Readiness, Not Assumptions Personalized learning using real time data saves planning time, feeds better instructional decisions & ensures that every student has a pathway to growth.

Read what's new on the Next Gen Learning blog » Designing Instruction around Real-Time Readiness, Not Assumptions, by middle school math teacher Jennifer Lee
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/designing-instruction-around-real-time-readiness-not-assumptions

Women in Leadership, and the Bold Moves We Make For women in education leadership, bold decisions can feel vulnerable but can lead to more fulfilling work, bigger impacts on learning, and greater equity.

Read what's new on the Next Gen Learning blog » Women in Leadership, and the Bold Moves We Make
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/women-in-leadership-bold-moves

Building Humanity into Student Success Policies and Systems Success after high school must include viable employment pathways, financial stability, and sustained access to the supports students need to thrive.

How can #EdPolicy align to our growing understanding that #StudentSuccess is more than graduation and college readiness?
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/building-humanity-into-student-success-policies-and-systems

Cellphones and AI in Schools: A Learning-Centered Approach Not Bans Schools taking a learning-centered approach to student use of cellphones and AI help young people understand and manage these powerful yet addictive tools.

See how alternatives to outright bans of student use of cellphones and AI in school might help students learn how to manage and develop healthy habits with these tech tools.
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/cellphones-and-ai-in-schools-learning-centered-approach

Finding Healing through Art and Active Meditation Active meditation with art can help a whole classroom focus, immerse in their work, and build resilience and balance in a world that rarely slows down.

See how art can be used as active meditation in school, resulting in a classroom filled with students -- and their teacher! -- who are focused, immersed in their work, and building resilience and balance. https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/finding-healing-through-art-and-active-meditation

Leadership Wellness: The Ecosystem Effect If school leaders stay healthy—physically, mentally, and emotionally—schools are stronger, more stable, and better equipped to serve students.

If leaders stay healthy—physically, mentally, and emotionally—schools are stronger, more stable, and better equipped to serve students. See how focusing on leadership wellness ripples out across the system.
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/leadership-wellness-ecosystem-effect

Embedding Computational Thinking Routines in ELA Instruction Computational thinking supports core literacy goals like organizing ideas, identifying patterns, and building arguments, without extra ELA instruction.

🌟See how computational thinking routines help students develop their literacy and critical thinking skills. 🌟
@digitalpromise.bsky.social
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/embedding-computational-thinking-routines-in-ela-instruction

Building a Foundation of Joy and Belonging for Multilingual Learners When multilingual learners feel a strong connection to their teachers and peers, they are more engaged and motivated to learn.

🎉 Let's infuse joy & cultural pride into our classrooms every day! 🎉See how Distinctive Schools is building belonging and connection for multilingual learners, leading to more engagement and motivation to learn. https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/multilingual-learners-joy-and-belonging

Policy in Education: Bridging the Gap between Rules and Humanity Policies should be designed to remove barriers, not create them, so that every student has a genuine chance to succeed.

Policies should be designed to remove barriers, not create them!
https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/policy-in-education-bridging-the-gap-between-rules-and-humanity

Interdisciplinary Learning Spaces: Bridging Knowledge across Subjects Interdisciplinary learning environments encourage ownership and support a collaborative process where both teachers and students share the space.

📚✨ We invite you to dive into our series on next gen learning spaces! 🏫✨ The latest post explores repurposing physical spaces in schools for interdisciplinary learning. Take a look! #EdChat 🌍 www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/int...

Assessment as a Lever for Lasting Change in Teaching and Learning Wyoming RIDE is showing a way for assessment to promote growth, create greater relevance and authenticity, amplify student agency, and spark curiosity.

Consider these 3 assessment entry points for students to take a more active role:
💡Purpose: what is being assessed?
📚Process: how will students engage to learn the target skills and concepts?
🌍Product: what evidence or artifact will be produced?
Learn more! www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/ass...

AI and Special Education: Mitigating Bias and Improving Support Despite the inherent bias in generative AI tools, thoughtful special educators can use them to help develop and provide accommodations and modifications.

Generative AI can be a useful tool for special education, if we remember that it is, by definition, biased. Get some great tips to use AI tools to develop & provide accommodations, modifications, and increase accessibility--without replicating inequity.
www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/ai-...

A Quiet Classroom Isn’t Always an Ideal Classroom By rethinking what a good day in the classroom looks and sounds like, new teachers can better support their students.

The goal isn’t to have students who follow directions without question—the goal is to raise students who think, feel, and belong. @edutopia.org

www.edutopia.org/article/clas...

A Permission Slip for Leaders This Back-to-School Season A school leader’s value isn’t measured by flawless execution, but by their presence, their resilience, their heart.

As the new school year keeps moving along, remember: self-care is key for effective leadership! ✨Give yourself permission to take breaks, stay hydrated, and be present. Lean on your network. And embrace activities that bring joy. 🌟 #Leadership #SelfCare
www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/a-p...

The Poetics of the First Day of School The start of every school year is filled with many first days, and the attention given to their importance by all involved is extraordinary.

We invite you to take a moment to explore all the different kinds of "first days" that come at the start of a school year. www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/the...

Beginning the Year: Two Ways of Thinking to Transform Your Classroom Young people are capable of more than we think, so to create more engaged classrooms, teachers look for things they do that students could do instead.

Teachers: Ignite student engagement and spark curiosity with these 2 simple reminders for teaching in ways that engage students with each other around content. www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/beg...

Successful School Communities Break Barriers through Authentic… Successful school communities actively address community challenges and expand opportunity through integrated, authentic support and strong relationships.

Interested in a Community Hub model? Get info on these key strategies:
💡Meet foundational needs
💡Support families and staff alike
💡Provide language opportunities
💡Foster belonging early
💡Employ dedicated, inclusive, genuine coordinators
www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/suc...

How 21st Century Classrooms Reduce Chronic Absenteeism & Improve… Student-centered instruction reduces the impact of chronic absenteeism on student proficiency, for students who are frequently absent AND their classmates.

A self-paced learning model can help teachers build strong relationships with students to support their learning, even those who miss a lot of school. Take a look! www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/how...

Starting Strong: Why + How to Co-Create Classroom Norms from Day One Establishing classroom norms with students fosters belonging, agency, and shared ownership of the learning environment.

Check out these steps for co-creating classroom norms with students, and see the benefits of belonging, agency, and shared ownership of the learning environment in your classroom this year. www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/sta...

Lineage Over Lone Hero: Reimagining Leadership in Education through… Storytelling in professional learning lets educators pause, reflect, and reconnect with their purpose, fostering leadership with empathy and belonging.

Educators who want to honor their professional lineage can feel the weight of expectations to operate on someone else's agenda. But it can be an opportunity to connect to the wisdom and momentum that we have inherited. See how storytelling makes a difference!
www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/rei...

Building in Movement and Collaboration in an ELA Class When middle school students can move around to take mental breaks and to collaborate with their peers, they can achieve more and do more rigorous work.

Don’t we all need a ‘coffee break’ every once in a while?! www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/bui...

middle school students reading in a comfy nook

high school students working independently in small adjacent spaces

student writing notes on a small window seat

two students working independently on laptops on a cushioned bench cutout along a long wall.

Does your school have small, quiet spaces for students to work independently? See how individual nooks support reflection, increasing self-awareness, critical thinking, and a deeper connection to learning! www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/sma...

Why Self-Paced Learning Empowers Every Student Self-pacing creates flexibility for diverse learning styles, promotes mastery over memorization, encourages ownership of learning, and reduces anxiety.

Discover how science teacher Dr. Cecelia Gillam uses self-pacing in her classroom and sees it empowering students to follow their curiosity! www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/sel...

The Real Deal: Innovative Learning with Project Invent A student was “blown away” by a program that encouraged her to create, experiment, and learn from failure—in a real project that benefited her community.

In this piece, HS student Jackie Grovier shares a learning experience that really worked for her. She says, “This is the kind of teaching that needs to be implemented into the education system everywhere, for all students,” and we're paying attention! www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/the...

Reclaim Time to Reimagine School and Learning See how schools are reclaiming time with new routines that better support learning, learners, teachers, innovation, and intended student success outcomes.

The education sector rarely offers time and space to try new ideas, much less refine them over time. Find out what it could look like to treat innovation as a core function of schooling!
www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/rec...

Take Learning Outside: Connecting Education with Nature Outdoor learning fosters a deeper connection to the world, promotes physical activity, and provides a unique, enriching way to engage with the curriculum.

Why not take learning outside??
#EduSky #OutdoorLearning #AnytimeAnywhere
www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/out...